Israel begins demolishing Palestinian homes near separation wall, as hundreds of Israeli troops move into Sur Baher village and begin knocking down scores of Palestinian homes.
Hundreds of Israeli troops, accompanied by bulldozers, have begun demolishing homes in the Palestinian village of Sur Baher despite Palestinian protests and international criticism.
Residents of the village`s Wadi al-Hummus neighbourhood told local media on Monday that 16 residential buildings, which hold around 100 apartments, were being targeted.
The Israeli military considers the homes, which are close to an Israeli separation wall that crisscrosses the occupied West Bank and is locally referred to by Palestinians as the apartheid wall, a security risk.
The Israeli Supreme Court ruled in favour of the military last month and set Monday as the deadline to knock down the homes - an act Palestinians say will set a precedent for other towns along the route of the barrier, which runs for hundreds of kilometres around and through the occupied West Bank.
Al Jazeera`s Rob Matheson, reporting from the demolition area, said the Israeli action marked a very sombre and sad day for Palestinian residents.
We heard very loud bangs coming from a building right next door to where we are now, and that was a large mechanical digger used to rip off part of the roof of that building, which was home up until this morning to two families, he said.
We understand that the father of one of the families has been sitting on a chair down in the street below us watching his home being torn apart.
Matheson said that on the other side of the separation wall, a crane has been taking out chunks out of the side of a building with a big mechanical claw.
Just behind me there’s an unfinished building here with the demolition workers drilling holes in the wall, he said. We understand that they’re going to put some explosives in there to try to bring the building down.
`We will be in the streets`
The sprawling village of Sur Baher straddles the line between occupied East Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank. It was captured and occupied by Israel in the 1967 war.
Palestinians accuse Israel of using security as a pretext to force them out of the area as part of long-term efforts to expand settlements. All settlements on occupied Palestinian lands are illegal under international law.
They also point out that most of the buildings in Wadi al-Hummus neighbourhood are meant to be under the Palestinian Authority and civilian control under the 1993 Oslo Accords.
What is happening today is a mass displacement of the people living in Wadi al-Hummus, despite the legal and diplomatic attempt to protect their property, Ali al-Obeidi, the chairman of the Wadi al-Hummus Committee told local Maan news agency.
Translation: The biggest demolition act in occupied Jerusalem since 1967. The Israeli occupation legalised the demolition of 16 residential buildings in Wadi al-Hummus area in Sur Baher.
Residents said they would be made homeless.
When the house is demolished, we will be in the streets, Ismail Abadiyeh, 42, who lives in one of the buildings under threat with his family, including four children, told the diplomats last week.
Jamie McGoldrick, the United Nations humanitarian coordinator, and other UN officials called on the Israeli authorities last week to halt the demolition plans. They said 17 Palestinians faced displacement from the plans to level the buildings.
More than 350 others risk massive property loss, the statement said.
Palestinian officials say the threatened structures lie within areas that they should control. The buildings were all originally given permits and authorisation by the Palestinian Authority, which administers that part of the neighbourhood.
But the Israeli Supreme Court said that the structures violated a construction ban, adding that buildings close to the barrier could provide cover for attackers.
`Hundreds of soldiers`
Israeli forces cut through the wire fence near the village early on Monday, allowing them easier access to the buildings. Floodlights lit up a partly constructed multi-storey building as dozens of vehicles brought helmeted police and soldiers into the area.
After first light, mechanical diggers began destroying a two-storey house as soldiers moved through several floors of a partly constructed multi-storey building nearby.
They were filmed and photographed by Palestinian, Israeli and international activists who had mobilised to try and stop the demolition.
Since 2am they have been evacuating people from their homes by force and they have started planting explosives in the homes they want to destroy. There are hundreds of soldiers here, said Hamada Hamada, a community leader in one of the threatened areas.
The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) issued a statement accusing the Israeli Supreme Court of aiming to set a precedent to enable the Israeli occupying forces to demolish numerous Palestinian buildings located in close proximity to the wall.
The European Union issued a statement saying: The continuation of this policy undermines the viability of the two-state solution and the prospect for a lasting peace.
The Israeli military had no immediate comment on Monday, and said it was checking the reports.
Israel credits the separation wall - projected to be 720km long when complete - with stemming Palestinian suicide bombings that peaked in 2002 and 2003.
Palestinians call it a land grab designed to annex parts of the West Bank, including Israeli settlements.
In some areas of Jerusalem and the West Bank the wall is a high concrete wall, but in Sur Baher it consists of two wire fences separated by a military patrol road and protected by watchtowers and electronic sensors.
Photo on the front page: An Israeli army bulldozer demolishes a building in the Palestinian village of Sur Baher in occupied East Jerusalem. Source: Abed al-Hashlamoun/EPA. Photo on this page: Israeli soldiers place explosives to demolish a building in Sur Baher, in East Jerusalem. Source: Abed Al Hashlamoun/EPA.
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Search “Palestine” on HIC-MENA
Israel begins demolishing Palestinian homes near separation wall, as hundreds of Israeli troops move into Sur Baher village and begin knocking down scores of Palestinian homes.
Hundreds of Israeli troops, accompanied by bulldozers, have begun demolishing homes in the Palestinian village of Sur Baher despite Palestinian protests and international criticism.
Residents of the village`s Wadi al-Hummus neighbourhood told local media on Monday that 16 residential buildings, which hold around 100 apartments, were being targeted.
The Israeli military considers the homes, which are close to an Israeli separation wall that crisscrosses the occupied West Bank and is locally referred to by Palestinians as the apartheid wall, a security risk.
The Israeli Supreme Court ruled in favour of the military last month and set Monday as the deadline to knock down the homes - an act Palestinians say will set a precedent for other towns along the route of the barrier, which runs for hundreds of kilometres around and through the occupied West Bank.
Al Jazeera`s Rob Matheson, reporting from the demolition area, said the Israeli action marked a very sombre and sad day for Palestinian residents.
We heard very loud bangs coming from a building right next door to where we are now, and that was a large mechanical digger used to rip off part of the roof of that building, which was home up until this morning to two families, he said.
We understand that the father of one of the families has been sitting on a chair down in the street below us watching his home being torn apart.
Matheson said that on the other side of the separation wall, a crane has been taking out chunks out of the side of a building with a big mechanical claw.
Just behind me there’s an unfinished building here with the demolition workers drilling holes in the wall, he said. We understand that they’re going to put some explosives in there to try to bring the building down.
`We will be in the streets`
The sprawling village of Sur Baher straddles the line between occupied East Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank. It was captured and occupied by Israel in the 1967 war.
Palestinians accuse Israel of using security as a pretext to force them out of the area as part of long-term efforts to expand settlements. All settlements on occupied Palestinian lands are illegal under international law.
They also point out that most of the buildings in Wadi al-Hummus neighbourhood are meant to be under the Palestinian Authority and civilian control under the 1993 Oslo Accords.
What is happening today is a mass displacement of the people living in Wadi al-Hummus, despite the legal and diplomatic attempt to protect their property, Ali al-Obeidi, the chairman of the Wadi al-Hummus Committee told local Maan news agency.
Translation: The biggest demolition act in occupied Jerusalem since 1967. The Israeli occupation legalised the demolition of 16 residential buildings in Wadi al-Hummus area in Sur Baher.
Residents said they would be made homeless.
When the house is demolished, we will be in the streets, Ismail Abadiyeh, 42, who lives in one of the buildings under threat with his family, including four children, told the diplomats last week.
Jamie McGoldrick, the United Nations humanitarian coordinator, and other UN officials called on the Israeli authorities last week to halt the demolition plans. They said 17 Palestinians faced displacement from the plans to level the buildings.
More than 350 others risk massive property loss, the statement said.
Palestinian officials say the threatened structures lie within areas that they should control. The buildings were all originally given permits and authorisation by the Palestinian Authority, which administers that part of the neighbourhood.
But the Israeli Supreme Court said that the structures violated a construction ban, adding that buildings close to the barrier could provide cover for attackers.
`Hundreds of soldiers`
Israeli forces cut through the wire fence near the village early on Monday, allowing them easier access to the buildings. Floodlights lit up a partly constructed multi-storey building as dozens of vehicles brought helmeted police and soldiers into the area.
After first light, mechanical diggers began destroying a two-storey house as soldiers moved through several floors of a partly constructed multi-storey building nearby.
They were filmed and photographed by Palestinian, Israeli and international activists who had mobilised to try and stop the demolition.
Since 2am they have been evacuating people from their homes by force and they have started planting explosives in the homes they want to destroy. There are hundreds of soldiers here, said Hamada Hamada, a community leader in one of the threatened areas.
The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) issued a statement accusing the Israeli Supreme Court of aiming to set a precedent to enable the Israeli occupying forces to demolish numerous Palestinian buildings located in close proximity to the wall.
The European Union issued a statement saying: The continuation of this policy undermines the viability of the two-state solution and the prospect for a lasting peace.
The Israeli military had no immediate comment on Monday, and said it was checking the reports.
Israel credits the separation wall - projected to be 720km long when complete - with stemming Palestinian suicide bombings that peaked in 2002 and 2003.
Palestinians call it a land grab designed to annex parts of the West Bank, including Israeli settlements.
In some areas of Jerusalem and the West Bank the wall is a high concrete wall, but in Sur Baher it consists of two wire fences separated by a military patrol road and protected by watchtowers and electronic sensors.
Photo on the front page: An Israeli army bulldozer demolishes a building in the Palestinian village of Sur Baher in occupied East Jerusalem. Source: Abed al-Hashlamoun/EPA. Photo on this page: Israeli soldiers place explosives to demolish a building in Sur Baher, in East Jerusalem. Source: Abed Al Hashlamoun/EPA.
Related articles:
Search “Palestine” on HIC-MENA
